For every perfect 70-degree day, there are dozens of ones filled with brutal wind chills, torrential downpours, severe thunderstorms, and high winds. And your new home is going to have to brave them all. But don’t worry – by taking just a few precautions (and channeling your inner handiness), you can protect your home against nearly any type of inclement weather.

Does Your Insurance Cover That?

Before diving into any DIY projects (we’ll get to that), check to see what your home insurance policy covers. If you’re a super-new homeowner, you probably purchased this policy recently, so there shouldn’t be any surprises. Make sure your new home is covered for losses resulting from natural disasters – you may need to purchase flooding, earthquake, or tornado policies separately.

Keep Your Gutters Clear!

It’s not just a chore you put off until the last minute. When you realize how much damage water can do, you’ll be out cleaning your gutters every weekend. Gutters keep water flowing away from your home and its foundation, so don’t let those downspouts get clogged with leaves or debris.

Bring Home Good Grades.

If you recently bought a newly built home, your lot’s grading may not be an issue. But it’s crucial to ensure water can flow away from your home. One way to do this is to keep your gutters clean. Another way to do this is to make sure the grade of your lot keeps water moving away from your home and into somewhere its meant to be, like a ditch or storm drain.

Don’t Be a Chump – Get a Sump Pump.

Do you have a sump pump? If not, now’s the time to get one in working order. Basement flooding can cause a ton of extensive damage in just a short amount of time, so it’s best to take any preventative measure possible to avoid it. We might even suggest having a backup sump pump just in case.

Groom Your Trees.

Wind can do a lot more than knock off a few shingles. During high winds, heavy tree limbs can snap and cause severe damage to your home, your car, and your neighbor’s property. Don’t wait until a storm hits to realize your trees have a problem – regularly trim your trees (hiring a professional is the way to go) can help protect your property.

Have a Plan and Communicate It Often.

When bad weather hits, have a plan in place to protect yourself and your family. Make sure everybody in your house knows where to go during a severe thunderstorm, tornado, or (in some cases) an earthquake. Pick a safe place to hunker down and wait out the storm away from windows, glass, and anything that could hurt you.

There are many ways you can protect your home from inclement weather. Don’t consider any of this a one-and-done type of action, either. Make sure you regularly inspect your home for water damage, leaking windows or doors, or problem trees. And remember: Your home is replaceable, but the people who live in it are not. Keep your house safe, and your family even safer.